Nucleic acid detection methods are very sensitive. Such methods, however, generally require some level of upstream sample preparation or processing. For example, enrichment or purification of the nucleic acid from other components present in the sample is typically required. Such components can cause nucleic acid degradation, inhibition of nucleic acid detection, and even masking of nucleic acid detection. The level of sample preparation required can render nucleic acid detection outside of a laboratory difficult. Transport of samples to a laboratory for nucleic acid detection also can be difficult. For example, samples should generally be collected under sterile conditions in order to minimize contamination and sample degradation. Refrigeration, freezing, and the addition of preservatives and/or stabilizers also should generally be employed to minimize and delay sample degradation.
Methods of separating nucleic acid from other components in a crude liquid sample are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,043,811 (herein incorporated by reference). Method of extracting nucleic acid from cells, amplifying segments of nucleic acid, and detecting nucleic acid are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,017,340 (herein incorporated by reference). A high through-put method and a device for isolating and quantifying mRNA directly from whole blood are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,939,300 (herein incorporated by reference). Methods of separating nucleic acid inhibitors in a sample are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,939,249 (herein incorporated by reference). Methods for the selective isolation of nucleic acid from microbial cells that are present in a composite sample comprising higher eukaryotic cells and/or tissues are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,893,251 (herein incorporated by reference). Methods for separating and purifying RNA are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,884,201 (herein incorporated by reference). A sample processing apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,718,421 (herein incorporated by reference). Methods for detecting the presence of a bacterial pathogen in a clinical sample, such as whole blood, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,718,361 (herein incorporated by reference). Methods for determining the quantity of nucleic acids in a sample are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,608,399 (herein incorporated by reference). U.S. Pat. Pub. 2011/0300609 (herein incorporated by reference) discloses a nucleic acid extracting apparatus. U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2011/0294199 (see, also, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2011/0294122 and WO 2011/150115; all of which are herein incorporated by reference) discloses an apparatus for detecting a nucleic acid in a sample. WO 2011/124709 (herein incorporated by reference) discloses a chromatographic device for isolating and purifying nucleic acids from contaminants by gel filtration chromatography. WO 2010/039987 (herein incorporated by reference) discloses a method for detecting nucleic acids in a blood sample.